U.S.

A
Aldana Gmez, Marisol Olivera and Malena Barrera

The United States is a country in North America. Its one of the most powerful and influential
country in the world. Officially United States of America is also abbreviated U.S. or U.S.A. or by
the name America.

Geography
The United States is the fourth largest country in the world in area (after Russia, Canada,
and China). The national capital is Washington, which is coextensive with the District of
Columbia, the federal capital region created in 1790. [1]

The major characteristic of the United States is probably its great variety. Its
physical environment ranges from the Arctic to the subtropical, from the moist rain forest to
the arid desert, from the rugged mountain peak to the flat prairie. Although the total
population of the United States is large by world standards, its overall population density is
relatively low. The country embraces some of the worlds largest urban concentrations as well
as some of the most extensive areas that are almost devoid of habitation. [1]

History

Colonial America, from 1480 to 1580 was the period of time when European nations came to
the Americas to increase their wealth and broaden their influence over world affairs. The
Spanish were among the first Europeans to explore the New World and the first to settle in
what is now the United States. [2]

Revolutionary Period, from 1760 to 1780 was the period of time when the Colonies attacked by
the French and others cost the British a great deal of Money. This tension eventually led to the
writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. A year earlier, the War of Independence,
also known as the American Revolution, began. When the British finally surrendered on
October 19, 1781, Americans were officially independent of Britain and set about establishing
their own government. [3]

Civil war, from 1860 was the period of time when Conflict over issues of how much control the
federal government should have over the states, industrialization, trade, and especially slavery
had increased tension between Northern and Southern states. After Abraham Lincoln was
elected president in 1860, 11 Southern states seceded (or withdrew) from the Union and set
up an independent government--the Confederate States of America. These events led to the
outbreak of the Civil War--a brutal, bloody, four-year conflict that left the South defeated and
ended slavery at the cost of more than half a million lives. [4]

World War II in 1940, the end to the Great Depression came about in 1941 with America's
entry into World War II. America sided with Britain, France and the Soviet Union against
Germany, Italy, and Japan. The loss of lives in this war was staggering. The European part of the
war ended with Germany's surrender in May 1945. Japan surrendered in September 1945,
after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. [5]
Modern Era starting from 1960 has been several prominent figures, including Eleanor
Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., John Kennedy, and Richard Nixon, helped shape America's
modern era. During this time, Americans went to the moon, ushered in the civil rights
movement and the fight for equal rights for women, established relations with China, and
witnessed the fall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe. [6]

Culture
The United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Nearly every
region of the world has influenced American culture, as it is a country of immigrants, most
notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early 1600s. U.S. culture has
also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans, Latin Americans, Africans and Asians. [7]

Language: While almost every language in the world is spoken in the United States: Spanish,
Chinese, French and German are among the most frequently spoken non-English languages.
Ninety percent of the U.S. population speaks and understands at least some English. [7]

Religion: Nearly every known religion is practiced in the United States, which was founded on
the basis of religious freedom. About 83 percent of Americans identify themselves as
Christians, according to an ABC poll, while 13 percent replied that they had no religion at all.
Another poll in 2012 reported similar findings. It also found that Judaism is the second most-
identified religious affiliation, at about 1.7 percent of the population. Only 0.6 percent of
respondents identified as Muslim. [7]

Food: The meal had been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history.
Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as
hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf. There are also styles
of cooking and types of foods that are specific to some places.

Art: The U.S. is widely known around the world as a leader in mass media production.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. comprises one-third of the worldwide
media and entertainment industry. The television broadcasting industry took hold in the U.S. in
the early 1950s, and American television programs are now shown around the world. The U.S.
also has a vibrant movie industry, centered in Hollywood, California, and American movies are
popular worldwide. New York is home to Broadway, and Americans have a rich theatrical
history. American folk art is an artistic style and is identified with quilts and other hand-crafted
items. American music is very diverse with many styles, including rhythm and blues, jazz,
gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and hip hop. [7]

Sports: The U.S. is a sports-minded country, with millions of fans who follow football, baseball,
basketball and hockey, among other sports. Baseball, which was developed in colonial America
and became an organized sport in the mid-1800s, is known as Americas favorite pastime,
although its popularity has been eclipsed by football for the past three decades. [7]

Holidays: Americans celebrate their independence from Britain on July 4. Memorial Day,
celebrated on the last Monday in May, honors those who have died in military service. Labor
Day, observed on the first Monday in September, celebrates the country workforce.
Thanksgiving, falls on the fourth Thursday in November and dates back to colonial times to
celebrate the harvest. Presidents Day, marking the birthdays of George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln, is a federal holiday that occurs on the third Monday in February. The
contributions of veterans are honored on Veterans Day, observed on Nov. 11. The
contributions of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. are remembered on the third Monday
in January. [7]

Tourism

Walt Disney World is an entertainment complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida,
near Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida. The resort is the flagship destination of Disney's
worldwide corporate enterprise. Opened on October 1, 1971, Walt Disney World is the most
visited vacation resort in the world, with an average attendance of over 52 million. [8]
Hollywood: It is notable as the home of the U.S. film industry, including several of its historic
studios, and its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the industry and the people in
it. [9]

Miami: Its one of the most visited cities in the world. It has been recognized as a destination
for celebrities and party-goers for a long time now. The weather is amazing all year round and
there are literally hundreds of excellent ideas to do there from bars, clubs, restaurants,
museums and more. [10]

Mount Rushmore: Nearly three million people visit Mount Rushmore each year. The busiest
months are June, July and August. May, September and October are less busy and popular
months to visit as well. [11]

5th Avenue: Its the famous avenue in New York City and attracts tourists from all over the
world. It has shops, cafes, restaurants and museums. [12]
National Symbols are the symbols used to represent the United States of America.
Bald eagle: The American bald eagle was adopted as the national bird symbol of the United
States of America in 1782. It was chosen for its majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and
because it's native to North America. [13]
Flag: The American flag is often called The Stars and Stripes (other names Old Glory and
The Star-Spangled Banner). It has 13 horizontal stripes, 7 red and 6 white who is for people
from the original 13 states (thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the
Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first states in the Union). In the top left hand corner
there are 50 white stars on a blue background: one star for each state. [14]
Statue of Liberty: Its a gift from France to the United States of America to commemorate the
100-year anniversary of the birth of liberty in the US and the end of slavery after the Civil War.
She has since become a universal symbol of freedom, embraced by advocates of self-
government the world over. [15]
The Star-Spangled Banner: Its the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics
come from Defense of Fort McHenry, a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and
amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the
British Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of
1812. [14]
References
1. Adam Gopnik, Arthur S. Link, Bernard A. Weisberger, David Herbert Donald and more.
(Last updated 19-05-2017). United States retrieved from
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3. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. America's Story from America's Library:

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